Read Aloud
Chunking, stress and a steady pace.
15 minutes · A free lesson from Speaking
You see a text of up to about 60 words. After a short preparation time (about 30–40 seconds), a tone sounds and you read it aloud. It scores speaking and reading.
Coral reefs cover less than one percent of the ocean floor, / yet they support around a quarter / of all marine species.
Stress the words that carry meaning: cover, less, one percent, floor, yet, quarter, marine species.
Say it out loud (25 seconds): Read aloud: "Many universities now record their lectures and publish them online. Supporters argue that this helps students review difficult material."
Lesson quiz
Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.
Quick check: How should you read the text after the tone?
- Word by word, all evenly
- In meaning chunks, with a small pause between them
- As fast as you can
Show the answer
B: In meaning chunks, with a small pause between them — Pause at commas and between groups of words that belong together, and fall at each full stop.
Quick check: You misread a word. What should you do?
- Keep going, and keep the rhythm
- Go back and read it again
- Stop the recording
Show the answer
A: Keep going, and keep the rhythm — Going back breaks your fluency.
Quick check: Which two skills does Read Aloud score?
- Writing and listening
- Reading and writing
- Speaking and reading
Show the answer
C: Speaking and reading — It is one of the integrated tasks.
Quick check: What should you do in the preparation time?
- Read the text silently and plan the pauses
- Wait quietly for the tone
- Read it aloud in full before the tone
Show the answer
A: Read the text silently and plan the pauses — Find the difficult words and say them under your breath.
Marked as soon as you finish — free with an account.Practise now